


Another Chance

by papyruspie



Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: BUT HAPPY ENDING I PROMISE, But maybe causing more emotions cus oops, Data Lives, Gen, Other, We’re fixing the emotional trauma caused by Nemesis, When this actually gets finished that is
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-27
Updated: 2020-11-07
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:21:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27223405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/papyruspie/pseuds/papyruspie
Summary: After Nemesis, Data finds himself in an alternate universe - one where there is some crucial differences.
Relationships: Data & Geordi La Forge
Comments: 6
Kudos: 13





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I’m not sure when/if I’ll ever finish this fic, I don’t feel motivated to write any more of it right now, and I don’t really know where the plot is going... but the main thing is that Data is alive, just now living in another universe! Yes, that is definitely what happened in Nemesis! Just, none of the characters know that Data is alive and well... but he DeFiNiTeLy is!

**Ch 1**

“Goodbye”, Data whispered after Picard disappeared in the familiar transport light. The only way to save his friends -and everyone aboard the Enterprise- was to shoot the thalaron generator. Data knew this would destroy the ship completely, and himself along with it. Data briefly wondered if there was some sort of afterlife for him. The countdown was almost done now. He had lived a good life overall, and here it would end. Data aimed his phaser, resolute, and fired.

The next thing Data knew, he was aboard the Enterprise E, standing at the bridge.  
“How... can this be possible?”, he questioned aloud.

Commander Riker jumped into action immediately, calling out a “Red alert! Shields up!”

As the sirens blared, everyone looked at Data with trepidation and fear. He felt overwhelmed, and so, so confused.

Counsellor Troi spoke to Will. “He’s confused, and upset. I don’t recognize him as Data or Lore.”

“Could he be B-4?” Geordi wondered.  
  
Deanna shook her head. “No, he has fully developed emotions. They’re clear to me.”  
  
“So, another one?” Riker cried, exasperated. “The timing on this too -just after the battle with Shinzon- we’re hardly in a position to attack!”  
  
Data spoke up, trying to sort out what was happening. “I am unsure what is occurring, but I can assure you, I _am_ Data.”

Geordi LaForge turned his head to face his best friend, startling ocular implants staring him down. “That can’t be. If one of them... your _brothers_ ,” he spat, “sent you, I’m sure you know we won’t be fooled by you. What kind of a ploy is that? Playing on our emotions, is that it?”, he seethed.

“Geordi,” Data tried to reason with his best friend, “I do not know what events have led to my being here, but I am Data. Though,” he quirked his head to the side, “seemingly not the same Data that you know of.”  
  
Riker shook his head vigorously, and sighed, pressing his comm badge. “Riker to Picard.”

“Yes, number one?”

“I’m sorry to bother you, but I think you’d better be on the bridge for this...”

“Understood.” Moments later, the doors to Picard’s ready room opened, and the Captain emerged, looking weary.  
“What’s going on?”, he questioned. Riker tilted his head in Data’s direction. “Deanna says it’s not Data or Lore, but he claims to be Data.”  
  
Picard’s eyes nearly popped out of his head as he gazed upon the android.  
“My god...” he uttered.  
  
Data quirked his head. “Sir?”  
  
Deanna voiced her thoughts. “I sense no intent to harm us from him. He is very lost, and emotionally overwhelmed though.”  
  
Picard gave a hesitant nod. “Very well, go to yellow alert. Senior staff meeting, right now,” he looked over at Data, “and you are coming with us.”


	2. Chapter 2

** Ch 2  **

“So, you say you  _ are  _ Data, just not this universe’s Data?” Dr. Crusher asked in disbelief.

“I believe so. I cannot find any other explanation for this.” Data agreed.

Riker, distressed, ran his hand across his face. “But... how?” 

“That is the question”, Data answered with a bittersweet smile. 

Deanna gave a strained smile. “Data, I want to believe it is you. But this is quite a lot to take in, and just accept.”

“I understand,” Data said. “This is a lot for me to take in as well.”

Geordi spoke up. “Assuming this is all true, our universes  _ clearly _ diverged at some point.”

Picard nodded. “We need to compare our timelines.” 

“Agreed”, Data replied. “It appears that my counterpart here is not as... amicable. If I may inquire...?”

Picard sighed. “Our Data was emotionally manipulated by Lore, and now is on his brother’s side.” 

“They are attempting to eliminate all biological life”, Worf added with a growl.

“Ah”, was all Data could manage to vocalize, shocked. In this reality, he had never had his ethical programming reactivated by Geordi? How many people had he killed? The thought of it distressed him.

Deanna reached out a hand to Data. “It’s alright, Data. Take your time.”

“Thank you, Counsellor.”

After a few minutes of silence, Data finally spoke. “A similar event did occur, however, my ethical subroutines were reactivated, and I had to deactivate Lore.”

Geordi gasped. “Damn,” he spoke shakily, “at least there’s one universe that I succeeded in. I’m so sorry, Data. I failed you.”

Data shook his head. “Geordi, I know that you tried your hardest. I do not blame you.”

“Yeah, but there’s another Data who would,” he choked out.

“I do not believe that to be true”, Data insisted.

“Data, tell me- have  _ you  _ destroyed countless civilizations? Killed thousands upon thousands of people?” Geordi shouted. “Because  _ this  _ Data has!”

“No, I have not,” Data admitted quietly. “But, Geordi- have you been subject to life-threatening experiments- at your best friend’s hand, no less?”

“Wha- yeah, I guess so.” 

“And do you blame  _ your  _ Data for this?”

“No, of course not!”

Data smiled. “Then, if you can forgive him, as you forgave me, I know he can forgive you, just as I do.”

“Huh,” Geordi sounded out in surprise. “Maybe so. But that doesn’t matter right now anyways.”

Worf nodded in agreement. “Considering Lore’s deactivation in your reality, I assume the Borg are not as much of a threat there.”

“Correct,” Data answered. “I believe we have eradicated the Borg.”

“What- how- I can’t-“ Picard sputtered.

“It was not easy, Captain,” Data assured. “We nearly lost the Enterprise to the Borg.”

“Well, we have the whole Borg Empire to deal with to this day,” Riker explained. “Starfleet’s kind of a mess.”

“Things here certainly do not sound good.” Data stated. 

Geordi chuckled. “You can say that again, Data. You can say that again...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... how are all our favourite characters still alive with the Borg as such a threat? Plot reasons, that’s how. You can kind of see where I was planning to go with this, Data would try and help this universe’s version of him. I’m just unsure on what else to write for it. I will finish this eventually though!


	3. Chapter 3

** Ch 3 **

The meeting went on for some time longer, as Data was briefed on the details of this universe. Eventually, the topic changed to Data himself. 

“Data, do you have any ideas on how you ended up here?” Geordi asked. 

“No, I do not understand why or how it occurred.” Data reminded him.

“Yeah, but what about whatever you were doing before you got here? There might be some clues from that.”

Oh. Yes.  _That_.  Data had barely been thinking about it. He did not  want  to think about it. He... he should be dead. Back in his universe, his friends would be mourning their apparent loss. Yet, here he was, with them, but not  _them_.  So many memories they did not share together. This Deanna never gave him a smile and tight hug once he had adjusted to his emotion chip, overjoyed that she could sense his feelings and proud of him for not giving up. 

This Riker had never gone to Ten Forward with Data and suggested many ( _ too  _ _many_ , probably) drinks to try, downing them along with Data, the two of them laughing into the night.

This Picard had never awkwardly put a hand on his shoulder, as he explained more about emotions to Data. 

This Geordi... this Geordi seemed very different from his. They had never gotten to go to the holodeck once again as Holmes and Watson, Data genuinely thrilled, Geordi so happy for him. This Geordi was bitter, weighed down by what had happened. He took the blame on himself for losing their Data. Data hoped his Geordi wasn’t acting similarly back home.

“I had just shot at a thalaron generator,” he finally answered.

“That’s what I did,” Picard uttered.

“You did?” Data asked, surprised. 

“Yes, it was very close, but I managed to activate the emergency transport beacon to get off the Scimitar in time,” Picard explained.

Geordi looked worried. “Data... don’t tell me that you didn’t activate the beacon in time,”

The room grew deadly quiet at his words as everyone let it sink in that Data might have been dead if it weren’t for the universal shift.

Data shook his head regretfully. “That is not the case,” he croaked.

“What  _ is  _ the case then?” Worf questioned.

“Just like in your universe, Captain Picard made it to safety thanks to Geordi’s transport beacon. I had to stay behind to shoot the generator.”

Geordi gasped. “What? But that’s-“

“I know,” Data whispered. 

“What were you thinking?” bursted Riker.

“It- it was the only possibility. I had the transport beacon on me. If I had not gone after him, then the Captain-“

“Mr. Data, I think it would have been my decision to go alone! I would rather it be me than you to die!”

“But... I did not die.”

“Come on Data, there’s no way you thought you were going to survive that explosion!” Riker shouted.

“Truthfully, I did believe my existence was about to end... I did not have much time to process it though. I only had time to accept that I had had a good life.” He let out a sob, thinking of his friends, no, his  _family_ ,  back home who would be grieving. He had been ready to leave them- of course, he still did not see another option, but- he had been ready to die. To leave them with blown up bits of who he once was, and another android still onboard as a painful reminder of their loss. 

“Oh, Data...” Dr. Crusher said sympathetically.

“I am so sorry,” he said, a yellow tear trickling its way down his face. “They... they all think I am dead. Technically, I _should be _ dead.” 

Picard coughed awkwardly. “As you already know, we lost our Data some time ago. Even though you are not exactly the same, it is... nice to see you after all these years, Mr. Data.” He smiled reassuringly.

Data returned a small smile. “I am glad to see you too, sir.” 

Suddenly, the ship jolted, and the familiar red alert sirens began ringing. 

Riker cursed. “We’re under attack  _now_?” 

* * *

After they all rushed back to the bridge, Picard found a sleek Borg-type ship on the display screen. “They’re hailing us, sir.”

Picard looked startled, but wasted no time in answering. “Open communications,”

Two identical androids appeared on screen with menacing grins.

“Hello there, Captain. It has been a while,” one of them taunted.

“It appears you have someone who should be with us,” the other said, pointing at Data. “After all, families should stick together...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, it’s another chapter! I still don’t exactly know what’s happening next, but things are getting interesting as this universe’s Data and Lore make their appearance!
> 
> Also, I don’t really know if “sleek Borg-type ships” are actually a thing, but they are in this universe!


End file.
